1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of devices for maintaining product refrigerated within a display case and readily available to customers, Such display cases preferably include an open frontal area to facilitate access by supermarket customers to product displayed therein, Such displayed product while maintained on display commonly generate spillages and other contaminants which fall downwardly within the case to the area therebelow, The lower area or tank area of such a displayed case can experience significant accumulations of contaminants or spillages including standing liquid spillages which cause problems in maintaining the required sanitary conditions therein, The present invention provides a novel multi-layered overlapping construction for controlling such contaminants and urging movement thereof to a waste control area while at the same time minimizing contact of such contaminations with respect to the refrigeration coil or plenum or other important refrigeration system parts which may be located in the lower or tank area of the refrigerated display case.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous prior arts designs for refrigerated display cases including air flow controls and contaminant removal systems have been patented such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,614,319 issued Jan. 11, 1927 to G. Schmidt and assigned to The Cincinnati Butchers' Supply Company on a "Refrigerator Show Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,948,312 issued Feb. 20, 1934 to A. V. Phillips and assigned to Kelvinator Corporation on a "Refrigerated Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,223,761 issued Dec. 3, 1940 to K. W. Hall et al and assigned to Tolco, Inc. on an "Air Conditioned Display Counter"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,476,491 issued Jul. 19, 1949 to E. O. Henderson and assigned to Alma Serena Henderson on a "Refrigerating Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,490,413 issued Dec. 6, 1949 to W. R. Burtis and assigned C. V. Hill & Company, Inc. on a "Self-Service Refrigerated Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,528,916 issued Nov. 7, 1950 to C. B. Shreve and assigned to Tyler Fixture Corporation on "Refrigerated Shelving"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,529,384 issued Nov. 7, 1950 to D. J. Greiling and assigned to McCray Refrigerator Company on a "Refrigerated Self-Service Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,794,325 issued Jun. 4, 1957 to W. B. Shearer and assigned to General Motors Corporation on a "Refrigerated Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,822,672 issued Feb. 11, 1958 to E. V. Dickson et al and assigned to Hussmann Refrigerator Co. on a "Display Case With Adjustable Refrigerated Shelves"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,836,039 issued May 27, 1958 to K. A. Weber and assigned to Weber Showcase & Fixture Co., Inc. on a "Refrigerated Self-Service Showcase"; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,992 issued Sep. 20, 1960 to D. A. Voorhies and assigned to C. V. Hill & Company, Inc. on a "Refrigerated Shelf"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,252 issued Nov. 13, 1962 to F. G. Lamb on an "Upright Refrigerator Showcase"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,255 issued Nov. 13, 1962 to E. A. Fanick, Jr. et al and assigned to Ed Friedrich, Incorporated on "Refrigerated Display Cabinets"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,218,822 issued Nov. 23, 1965 to G. K. Bently et al and assigned to McCray Refrigerator Company, Inc. on a "Frozen Food Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,740 issued Feb. 21, 1967 to E. V. Dickson et al and assigned to Pet Incorporated on an "Open Front Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,145 issued Oct. 17, 1967 to M. W. Steelman and assigned to Clark Equipment Company on an "Air Distribution Structure For Refrigerated Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,543 issued Jul. 16, 1968 to G. A. Miller and assigned to Clark Equipment Company on a "Separable-Section Refrigerated Case"; and U.S. Pat. Des. No. 231,819 issued Jun. 18, 1974 to A. Perez et al and assigned to Clark Equipment Company on a "Refrigerated Food Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,090 issued May 5, 1981 to F. Ibrahim and assigned to Tyler Refrigeration Corporation on a "Glass Door Merchandiser With Ambient Air Defrost"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,992 issued Sep. 15, 1981 to C. Eliason and assigned to Eliason Corporation on a "Curtain For Open Front Freezer Or Refrigerator"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,792 issued Jul. 13, 1982 to F. Ibrahim and assigned to Tyler Refrigeration Corporation on a "Refrigerated Merchandiser Display Case With Defrost Device"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,710 issued Sep. 7, 1982 to F. Ibrahim and assigned to Tyler Refrigeration Corporation on a "Glass Door Merchandizer With Tertiary Air Band"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,852 issued Jun. 28, 1983 to F. Abraham and assigned to Tyler Refrigeration Corporation on a "One And A Half Band Refrigerated Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,816 issued Sep. 20, 1983 to F. Ibrahim et al and assigned to Tyler Refrigeration Corporation on a "Modular Refrigeration Assembly Having Air Defrost System"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,822 issued Nov. 15, 1983 to F. Ibrahim and assigned to Tyler Refrigeration Corporation on a "Refrigerated Display Case With Colliding Band Air Defrost"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,992 issued Apr. 3, 1984 to F. Ibrahim and assigned to Tyler Refrigeration Corporation on an "Open Top Refrigerated Case With Defrost Air Intake And Colliding Band Air Defrost"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,374 issued May 22, 1984 to F. Ibrahim and assigned to Tyler Refrigeration Corporation on a "Combination Hot Gas And Air Defrost Refrigerated Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,139 issued Jul. 3, 1984 to F. Ibrahim and assigned to Tyler Refrigeration Corporation on a "Refrigerated Display Case Having Ambient Air Defrost"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,995 issued Dec. 25, 1984 to R. Barr and assigned to Tyler Refrigeration Corporation on an "Adjustable Electrical Outlet Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,467 issued Mar. 25, 1986 to F. Ibrahim et al and assigned to Tyler Refrigeration Corporation on a "Frost Diffusion System For Refrigeration Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,527 issued Sep. 8, 1987 to H. Ikeda and assigned to Sanden Corporation on a "Control Device For Refrigerated Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,172 issued May 3, 1988 to S. Aoki and assigned to Sanden Corporation on a "Refrigerated Display Cabinet"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,780 issued May 23, 1989 to G. Bockwinkel and assigned to Ardco Inc. on a "Refrigerator Door Assembly With Thermal Break Frame"; and U.S. Pat. Des. No. 302,910 issued Aug. 22, 1989 To P. Cocagne on a "Refrigerated Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,735 issued Oct. 3, 1989 to R. Jahr, Jr. et al and assigned to White Consolidated Industries, Inc. on a "Refrigeration Cabinet Construction"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,910 issued Nov. 28, 1989 to K. Meehan et al on a "Refrigeration System For Product Display Enclosures"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,732 issued Aug. 7, 1990 to Y. Haruyama et al and assigned to Sanden Corporation on a "Refrigerated Display Case With A Damper Controlled Defrosting Mechanism"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,080 issued Apr. 23, 1991 to H. Naganuma et al and assigned to Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. on a "Low-Temperature Show Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,413 issued Jul. 16, 1991 to S. Tsuihiji et al and assigned to Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. on a "Low-Temperature Foods Preserving Case And Its Temperature Control Method"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,843 issued Aug. 18, 1992 to H. Tamayama et al and assigned to Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. on a "Method For Operating An Open Show-Case"; and U.S. Pat. Des. No. 334,495 issued Apr. 6, 1993 to R. Bustos and assigned to Leggett & Platt, Incorporated on a "Refrigerated Display Case"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,191 issued Apr. 13, 1993 to R. Bustos and assigned to Leggett & Platt, Inc. on a "Refrigerated Merchandiser"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,253 issued Nov. 16, 1993 to Jean-Clause Spenard on a "Refrigerated Display Cabinet"; and Australian Pat. No. 51,774/79 on a "Refrigerated Display Unit"; and Canadian Pat. No. 780,620 issued Mar. 19, 1968 to M. Steelman and assigned to Clark Equipment Company on an "Air Distribution Structure".